Visor-latching construction in safety helmet

ABSTRACT

A device which is particularly adapted for holding a moveable visor on a headgear in a predetermined position which includes a tooth rack mounted on the headgear and a tooth clutch or latch jaw mounted on and movable with the visor, the clutch jaw being moveable between an engaged position where the teeth on the jaw intermesh with the teeth on the rack to a disengaged position where the teeth do not intermesh, the clutch jaw being moveable between these positions responsive to the movement of a lever which is readily accessible to the wearer of the headgear.

United States Patent 3,593,338

[72] inventor William H. Penny 315,272 4/1967 Olt et al 2 X Arcadia.Calil. 3.400.407 9/1968 Ailen 2/6 5! 21 p gzm gi 1969 FORElGN PATENTS [2l i e ar. Patented y 1971 95l 8l7 4/1964 Great Britain. 2/6 (73]Assignee Sierra Engineering Co. Primary Examiner-Alfred R Guest SierraMadre, Calitn Anarney- Beehler & Arant [54] VISOR-LATCHING CONSTRUCTIONIN SAFETY :Etrgg Drawin ABSTRACT: A device which is particularly adaptedfor holdg lgs. i mg a moveable visor on a headgear m a predeterminedpost- 1 Clw 2/ tion which includes a tooth rack mounted on the headgearand [51 1 lm- Cl A42! /00 a tooth clutch or latch jaw mounted on andmovable with the [50} Field of Search H 2/6. 8, 3 visor, the clutch jawbeing moveable between an engaged position where the teeth on the jawintermesh with the teeth [56] References cued on the rack to adisengaged position where the teeth do not in- UNITED STATES PATENTStermesh, the clutch jaw being moveable between these posi- 3 1 10 03411/1963 11 2 6 tions responsive to the movement of a lever which isreadily 3,066,305 12/1962 Aileo 2/6 accessible I h wearer 0f theheadgear.

PATENTEI] JUL 20 ISTI SHEET 1 [IF 2 [/vvE/vme WLL/QM P N vVISOR-LATCIIING CONSTRUCTION IN SAFETY HELMET The present inventionprovides a device which is particularly suitable for use with moveablevisors on headgear pieces. The clutch or latch device of this inventionis operable under adverse conditions. The ready accessibility of thelever to the wearer of the headgear permits this clutch to be operatedby a heavily gloved hand with speed. and accuracy. When the clutchdevice is affixed to the moveable visor, it also serves as a handle tomove the visor from one desired position to another. The arrangement ofthelever is such that it operates when it is displaced in eitherdirection about a pivot point. When the wearer of the headgear pushes onthe lever in either direction, the lever moves to disengage the clutchand then serves as a handle by which to move the visor to the desiredposition. The result is that the wearer of the helmet only makes onemotion in one direction to accomplish both the disengaging of the clutchand the movement of the visor.

The convenience" and the efficient utility of this clutch device arealso very u'sefulin many other structures where two elements of thestructure are moveable relative to one another but must be releasablyheld in fixed relationship to one another at various positions In thedrawings there is illustrated:

' FIG. 1, a side elevation of a dual visor helmet with a clutch or latchdevice operatively associated with each visor;

FIG. 2, a broken side elevation partly in cross section of the dualvisor portion of the helmet illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3-3 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view,partially in cross section, of

the clutch device with the clutch shown in the engaged position;

FIG. 5 is a rear elevational view of the clutch device;

FIG. 6 is broken side elevation'similar to FIG. 4 showing the clutch inthe disengaged position; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of the clutch-device.

Referring particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated a helmet10, which is provided with a generally spherical curved crown l2 andcurved lobes E4 depending from the lower edge of the crown atdiametrically opposed sides thereof. When the helmet is placed on thehead of a wearer, lobes 14 cover and protect the sides of the head andthe ears of the wearer. The front opening of the helmet is definedbetween the forward downwardly presented edge 16 of crown 12 and theforwardly presented edges of the side lobes 14. The face of the weareris exposed through the opening thus defined. In a typical helmet of thekind illustrated in the drawings, the forward edge of the crown 16extends across the forehead of the wearer, approximately at the level ofthe eyebrows.

In the visor construction represented in the drawings a visor attachment18 is secured to helmet 10. The visor construction includes a visorhousing 20 which is curved in both the horizontal and vertical planes toembrace the forward portion of the helmet crown 12 in the regiondirectly above the forward crown edge 16. The housing has a forwardlypresented wall 22 along the upper edge of which is a rearwardly directedflange 24. Flange 24 seats against the outer surface of the helmet crown12 to space the upper edge of the forwardly presented housing wall 22from the crown.

Indicated at 30 and 32 in FIGS. 2 and 3 are a pair of transparent visorsor lenses moveably mounted in spaced apart superimposed relationship.Each transparent visor lens 30 and 32 is curved horizontally andvertically to match the curvature of visor housing 20. The visor housingwall 22 and the visor lenses 30 and 32 are circularly curved, in eachvertical plane parallel to the fore-and-aft plane of the symmetry of thehelmet 10, about a common axis extending normally to said planes. Thetwo end edges of each visor 30 and 32 are also circularly curved about acommon axis.

Track members 27 and 29 are secured to the outer surface of helmet atabout the respective temples of the helmet 10 above and forwardly oflobes The visor lenses 30 and 32 are mounted at their downwardly'andrearwardly extending edge ends on visor lens runners 34 and 36,respectively. Visor lens runners 34 and 36, see FIG. 3, are received inrespective visor tracks 28 and 26. The respective visor tracks 26 and 28are provided in the forwardly presented sides of track members 27 and29. The arcuate rearwardly presented sidesof track members 27 and 29 areprovided-with toothed tracks 38 and 40, respectively. Track member 27 isaffixed to the exterior temple area of the right side of helmet 10.Track member 29 is mounted to the interior temple area of visor housing20 on the left side of helmet l0. Clutch or latch devices 42 and 44 aremounted on and moveable with respective visor lenses 30 and 32. Clutchor latch devices 42 and 44 comprise respectively clutch jaw guides 46and 48, which are adapted to slidably receive and guide toothed or latchjaws 50 and 52, respectively. Clutch jaws 50 and 52 are normally biasedforwardly toward the respective toothed racks 38 and 40 by means ofrespective clutch latch springs 54 and 56. Levers 58 and 60 cooperatethrough cam means to move clutch jaws 50 and 52, respectively, out ofengagement with respective racks 38 and 40. Levers 58 and 60 arepivotally mounted to respective clutch jaw guides 46 and 48 by meanspivot pins 62 and 64, respectively. Levers 58 and 60 are shaped so thattheir lateral sides enclose the open lateral sides of respective clutchjaw guides 46 and 48 and thus serve to confine and guide clutch jaws 50and 52 slidably along a channel in operative relationship to racks 38and 40. The upper and lower sides of the levers 58 and 60 overlap andenclose the upper and lower sides of clutch jaw guides 46 and 48,respectively, so as to provide a convenient surface against which theoperator of the clutch may push to disengage clutch jaws 50 and 52 andmove the structure to which the clutch device is attached.

Slots 66 and 68 are provided in respective clutch jaws 50 and S2. Slots66 and 68 have a generally V-shaped configuration with the apex pointedrearwardly away from the respective toothed racks. Slot-engaging pins 70and 72 are positioned in respective slots 66 and 68. The surfaces ofslots 66 and 68 act as cam surfaces, and the respective slot-engagingpins 70 and 72 act as cam followers. The slot-engaging pins 70 and 72are mounted on and carried by levers 58 and 60, respectively.

The levers 58 and 60 are pivotally mounted on about the longitudinalaxis of the respective clutch jaw guides 46 and 48. The levers 58 and 60are bidirectional in their actions so that pivotal movement of a leverin either direction causes the disengagement of the clutch jaw from therack. Placing the pivot pin, slot-engaging pin, and the apex of aV-shaped slot on about the center line of the clutch jaw guide permitsthe bidirectional operation of the lever. The c ntinued application of aforce, applied in the same manner and direction as that required todisengage the clutch, will cause the disengaged clutch device and thestructure to which it is attached to move under the urgings of theapplied force. When the force is removed from the lever, the springurges the clutch jaw outwardly into engagement with the rack. When it isdesired to disengage the clutch and move it in the opposite direction, aforce applied'to the lever in the opposite direction will first resultin the disengagement of the clutch and then the movement of thedisengaged clutch device and associated structure in the oppositedirection. Thus, to accomplish the dual operations of first disengagingthe clutch and second moving the clutch device and the attachedstructure the operator need only push on the lever in the direction inwhich he wishes to move the structure.

The slots in which the slot-engaging pins move need only have one camsurface extending at an acute angle to the path through which the clutchjaw slidably moves in order to accomplish disengagement of the clutch.However, where it is desired to have a bidirectional operation of thelever, it is necessary to have two such cam surfaces extending atdifferent angles so that the slots become the legs of a generally V-shaped compound slot. The clutch springs are of sufficient strength tocause the clutch jaw to return to the engaged position with the slotengaging pin in the neutral position at the apex of the V-shaped slotwhen pressure is released from the lever.

Referring particularly to FIG. 3, there is illustrated the attachment ofthe clutch devices to the moveable visor lens 30 and 32. The outer visorlense 30 is provided with a clutch device 42 on the right side of theheadgear at the temple, and the inner visor lense 32 is provided with aclutch device 44 on the left side ofthe headgear at the temple.

The two transparent visor lenses 30 and 32 are provided with differentlight transmission characteristics so that by alternately extending andretracting one or both of the visors a wide variety of ambient lightconditions may be compensated for. The visor housing 20 provides adurable housing into which the visor lenses 30 and 32 may be retractedwhen the helmet is not in use so as to protect the transparent visorsfrom scratches and other damage.

What has been described are preferred embodiments in which modificationsand changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeofthe accompanying claims.

lclaim:

l. A visored helmet having an open front and closed sides adapted to beworn by a person, said helmet comprising:

a moveable visor lens;

visor lens runners mounted on opposed lateral edges of said visor lens;

visor tracks mounted on the sides of said helmet and slidably receivingsaid lens runners;

a toothed rack mounted on said helmet adjacent and parallel to a saidvisor track;

a latch means including a latch jaw guide mounted on a lateral edge ofsaid visor lens adjacent said toothed rack;

a toothed latch jaw slidably mounted on said latch jaw guide, said latchjaw being moveable between an engaged position where the teeth on saidjaw intermesh with the teeth on said rack and a disengaged positionwhere said teeth do not intermesh;

a lever moveably mounted on said latch jaw guide; and

a cam means including a cam surface and a cam pin means operativelyassociated with said latch jaw and moveable responsive to the movementof said lever whereby the movement of said lever moves said latch jawbetween said engaged and disengaged positions and said visor is adaptedto be held by said latch at various positions relative to the open frontof said helmet.

2. The visored helmet of claim 1 wherein said helmet is provided withtwo visor lenses slidably mounted in superimposed relationship to oneanother, a toothed rack on each side of said helmet adjacent andparallel to respective visor tracks, and a latch operatively associatedwith each of said lenses, said respective latches being disposed onopposite sides of said helmet adjacent the said respective toothedracks.

3. A visor construction for mounting on headgear wherein said visorconstruction includes a transparent visor moveably mounted on saidheadgear for movement between an extended position in the line of sightof the wearer of said headgear and a retracted position out of said lineof sight, said visor construction comprising:

a visor track;

a visor lens runner slidably mounted on said track and carrying saidvisor;

a toothed rack mounted on said headgear;

latch means mounted on said visor positioned in engageable relationshipwith said rack, said latch means including;

a toothed latch jaw moveably mounted in a latch jaw guide for movementbetween an engaged position where the teeth on said jaw intermesh withthe teeth on said rack and a disengaged position where said teeth do notintermesh;

lever actuated cam means operatively associated with said latch jaw andadapted to move said latch jaw between said positions, said leveractuated cam means including; a lever moveably mounted on said latch awguide ad acent said latch jaw;

a cam surface on said latch jaw; and

a cam pin means moveable with said lever and operatively associated withsaid cam surface whereby said latch jaw moves from one said position tothe other said position responsive to the movement ofsaid lever.

4. The visor construction of claim 3 wherein said cam means includes aV-shaped cam slot in said latch jaw and a slot engaging pin carried bysaid lever whereby the movement of said pin from the apex to either legof said V-shaped slot moves said latchjaw positions.

1. A visored helmet having an open front and closed sides adapted to beworn by a person, said helmet comprising: a moveable visor lens; visorlens runners mounted on opposed lateral edges of said visor lens; visortracks mounted on the sides of said helmet and slidably receiving saidlens runners; a toothed rack mounted on said helmet adjacent andparallel to a said visor track; a latch means including a latch jawguide mounted on a lateral edge of said visor lens adjacent said toothedrack; a toothed latch jaw slidably mounted on said latch jaw guide, saidlatch jaw being moveable between an engaged position where the teeth onsaid jaw intermesh with the teeth on said rack and a disengaged positionwhere said teeth do not intermesh; a lever moveably mounted on saidlatch jaw guide; and a cam means including a cam surface and a cam pinmeans operatively associated with said latch jaw and moveable responsiveto the movement of said lever whereby the movement of said lever movessaid latch jaw between said engaged and disengaged positions and saidvisor is adapted to be held by said latch at various positions relativeto the open front of said helmet.
 2. The visored helmet of claim 1wherein said helmet is provided with two visor lenses slidably mountedin superimposed relationship to one another, a toothed rack on eaCh sideof said helmet adjacent and parallel to respective visor tracks, and alatch operatively associated with each of said lenses, said respectivelatches being disposed on opposite sides of said helmet adjacent thesaid respective toothed racks.
 3. A visor construction for mounting onheadgear wherein said visor construction includes a transparent visormoveably mounted on said headgear for movement between an extendedposition in the line of sight of the wearer of said headgear and aretracted position out of said line of sight, said visor constructioncomprising: a visor track; a visor lens runner slidably mounted on saidtrack and carrying said visor; a toothed rack mounted on said headgear;latch means mounted on said visor positioned in engageable relationshipwith said rack, said latch means including; a toothed latch jaw moveablymounted in a latch jaw guide for movement between an engaged positionwhere the teeth on said jaw intermesh with the teeth on said rack and adisengaged position where said teeth do not intermesh; lever actuatedcam means operatively associated with said latch jaw and adapted to movesaid latch jaw between said positions, said lever actuated cam meansincluding; a lever moveably mounted on said latch jaw guide adjacentsaid latch jaw; a cam surface on said latch jaw; and a cam pin meansmoveable with said lever and operatively associated with said camsurface whereby said latch jaw moves from one said position to the othersaid position responsive to the movement of said lever.
 4. The visorconstruction of claim 3 wherein said cam means includes a V-shaped camslot in said latch jaw and a slot engaging pin carried by said leverwhereby the movement of said pin from the apex to either leg of saidV-shaped slot moves said latch jaw positions.